Thermoduric proteinases are a critical risk factor affecting the quality stability of dairy products. Their thermoduric property makes them difficult to achieve complete inactivation through conventional sterilization processes, thereby leading to protein hydrolysis and sensory quality deterioration of the product during its shelf life. This paper systematically analyzed the microbial sources of thermoduric proteinases (e.g., Pseudomonas, Bacillus) and their thermal stability mechanisms (e.g., hydrophobic interactions, metal ion dependence), and focused on the innovative progress of detection technologies and the bottlenecks encountered in industrial application. Among current detection methods, the colorimetric assays are cost-effective but lack sensitivity, while fluorescence-based techniques (e.g., FRET) offer high sensitivity but are limited by substrate universality. Moreover, the molecular biology (PCR) and immunoassays (ELISA) are difficult to directly reflect the enzymatic activity. Research indicates that future detection technologies will evolve towards a multi-methods integration approach (e.g., LC-MS combined with sensor arrays) and intelligent solutions (e.g., machine learning-assisted decision-making), while also addressing industry pain points such as blind spots in raw material screening, lag in online processing monitoring, and the absence of standards for end products. This paper provided a theoretical foundation for the construction of an efficient and precise thermoduric proteinase detection system, and has significant reference value for the establishing relevant industry standards and the optimization of quality control.

dairy product  /  thermoduric proteinase  /  detection method  /  research progress